Taunton police struggle with naked man in Whittenton

A 20-year-old Maple Avenue man, who police said ranted and raved in public early Tuesday night while completely naked and fought off officers who repeatedly Tased him, was apparently under the influence of a strong version of synthetic marijuana, according to police.

TAUNTON — A 20-year-old Maple Avenue man, who police said ranted and raved in public early Tuesday night while completely naked and fought off officers who repeatedly Tased him, was apparently under the influence of a strong version of synthetic marijuana, according to police.

Police said the Taunton resident was incoherent, oblivious to his surroundings and combative with officers who struggled to subdue and handcuff the man, who at one point exhibited “tremendous strength.”

The incident unfolded around 6:45 p.m. when police received several 911 calls of an out-of-control naked man running through yards in the city’s Whittenton neighborhood.

The first officer on scene reported seeing the man at Second Avenue and Whittenton Street, screaming at an older couple while a younger female stood crying on the sidewalk trying to reason with him.

The officer, in his report, said the man seemed incapable of lucid communication, didn’t seem to recognize anyone and was chanting a series of words over and over.

When the police officer removed his electroshock Taser weapon from his belt and told the man to calm down and get on the ground, he allegedly instead growled and tried charging the cop, who then deployed his Taser so its probes struck the man in the chest.

The man fell, striking his head on the seat of a wooden picnic table, but was immediately back on his feet, police said.

The officer reports keeping his finger on the Taser’s trigger while the subject rolled on the ground.

Despite repeated commands to calm down and place his hands behind his back, the man reportedly refused, got to his knees, screamed and pulled the wire loose from one of the probes so the Taser would no longer have an incapacitating effect.

Just before the man got to his feet and charged the officer yelling, “It can’t be done,” the patrolman managed to load a fresh cartridge into his Taser and hit him again in the chest, police said.

A second officer arrived, but the man successfully repulsed further attempts to handcuff him, despite solid knee strikes to his body.

The officers finally were able to handcuff him, but only after delivering a painful Taser “drive stun” without probes and wires.

Police said they had to lean on the man’s shoulders with their knees while awaiting EMS personnel and that he continually kicked and fought.

Chief Edward Walsh arrived on scene with flex cuffs, which he used to restrain the suspect’s legs.

After being placed in restraints on the ambulance stretcher and transported to Morton Hospital, the man allegedly continued to scream, spit and chant and tried breaking free of his restraints.

Page 2 of 2 - Walsh said the decision not to charge the man with a criminal offense, such as disturbing the peace or resisting arrest, was based on the fact that he clearly was in “an altered mental state.”

“I don’t think he intentionally set out to do what he did. He needs to be helped not arrested,” Walsh said.

The chief said the man’s girlfriend indicated he’d been smoking both real and synthetic marijuana, and that he might also have ingested LSD.

Walsh was instrumental in convincing the City Council to pass an ordinance in August, 2013 prohibiting the sale, distribution or possession of synthetic marijuana.

Three months after the ordinance was passed, police said they confiscated 370 bags of synthetic pot from a Taunton convenience store and issued summonses to the owners to appear in district court.

Walsh said there’s no indication stores and gas stations in the city have been selling synthetic marijuana or so-called bath salts recently. The substances can induce psychotic behavior when smoked.

But Walsh said the substances remain available through Internet sales, notwithstanding state and federal prohibition.